Rail anchor



A. F. FIFIELD RAIL ANCHOR April 15, 1930.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed 001:. 26, 1928 lNVENTOR ATTORNEY A. F. FIFIELD April 15, 1930.

RAIL ANCHOR Fild Oct. 26, 1928 '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 new,

INVENTOR k ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 15, 1930 UNITED STATES OHIO PATENT OFFICE ALBERT F. FIIFiELD, OF ST. CATHARINES, ONTARIO, CANADA, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN FORK & HOE COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF RAIL ancnon Application filed October 26, 1928. Serial No. 315,166.

My invention relates to rail anchors and relates particularly to improvements in that type of rail anchors adapted to be continuously secured to the rail base by the power 5 of its inherent resiliency alone.

Rail anchors oft-his general type have been made in one or more pieces and my present invention is applicable to both one piece and 2 piece anchors.

An object of my present invention is to provide an improved rail anchor having a ighly eflicient form of spring retaining means at one end of the anchor adapted to retain it ona rail base and atthe opposite end of the anchor an element of means adapted to abuttingly engage the tie in an efficient manner to anchor the rail thereto.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved form of retained spring anchor for railroad rails.

Another object of my invention is to provide an anchor having a resilient reach bar adapted to be disposed below a rail base and to be longitudinally twisted in a very simple manner while affixing the anchor to the rail' base for the purpose of increasing the gripping power of the anchor on the rail. base flanges.

Another object of my invention is to provide a rail anchor of the above type which may be easily removed trom the rail base after being securely afiixed thereto.

Another object of my invention is to provide an anchor generally of the above type,

Y which may be afiixed to and/or removed from vention itself wili become more apparent from the following description of my'invenemployed;

tion and in which description reference will be had to the accompanying drawings form- 111%{5} part of this specification:

eferring to the drawings: Fig. 1 illustrates, in perspective, a view of a rail anchor embodying my invention applied to a rail base, a fragmentary part of a rail being indicated in phantom; and an attaching tool therefor; y Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of a clampm shoe comprised in the said embodiment;

*ig. 3 is a side elevational view of a fragment of the clamping shoe and a hooked end of the reach bar comprised in the said embodiment;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of another form of clamping shoe which may be alternately Figs. u, 6, 7, and 8, respectively, are other differing forms of clamping shoes interchangeably adaptable for use in connection with the hooked end of an anchor reach bar as illustrated in Fig. 1 in place of the clamping shoes of Figs. 2 and 3, illustrated in connection with the reach'bar in Fig. 1.

Fig. 9 illustrates in perspective view, an other embodiment of my invention;

Referring now first to the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, at 1, I show a rail having a base 2, laterally extending base flanges 3 and 4 and an up standing rail head supporting web '5. The

rail base flanges 3 and 4 terminate in vertical side edges, one 0t which is shown at 6, reference being bad to Fig. 9, for the other vertical edge 6, Fig. 9, showing also a like rail i base structure.

base flange 4. The jaw 10 comprises an upwardly inclined jaw surface 12, while the jaw 11 preferably comprises a flat upper surface of relatively large area and carries a depending railway tie engaging flange 28 adapted to butt a rail supporting tie to prevent longitudinal movement of the rail. to Evhich the anchor is attached, relative to the The reach bar 7 is adapted to underlie the rail base, as indicated, and terminates at the opposite side of the rail base in an upturned arm 15 which is bent at 16 to provide a downturned pendant leg 17, the pendant leg 17 being deflected inwardly to permit its lower end surface 18 which is thus inwardly upwardly inclined relative to the rail base to engage with the top lateral corner 19 of the rail ase flange 3.

In the normal form of the reach bar 7, the bottom end of the leg 17 would project below the level of the rail flange corner 19, but in applying the anchor to the rail, a tool 20 is projected through the opening 21 provided between the arm 15 and the leg 17 and the tip 22 of the bar is made to engage with the top surface of the rail flange 3 in a portion near the rail web 5 and the tool 20 is then used as a lever pry, a lifting efl'ort being given the handle end 23 of the tool and which is effective to lift the foot surface 18 of the leg 17, so that its inner edge 24. is sprung inwardly over the corner 19 of the rail base flange 3, because of the inherent resiliency of the material of which-the bar 7 is made, restoring the bar to a less stressed form. The foot 18 will press downwardly with considerable power on the edge 19 in the effort of the bar to regain a more nearly unstressed form and the bar 7 being held rigidly by .the jaws 10 and 11 of the shoe 8 to the rail base,'prevents rotational movement of the hooked end 9 of the bar so that the twisting efi'ort imparted by the lifting of the inverted U-shaped portion of the bar, comprising the elements 15, 16 and 17, laterally of the arm 15, produces a torsional gri on the intermediate ortion 25 of the bar which underlies the rail ase, and so long as the rail anchor comprising the bar 7 is left so attached on the rail base, the intermediate portion 25 will continue to be distorted torsionally, and reacting resiliently in the effort to regain its normal form and exert a gripping eflort on the rail base flange.

Referring now to Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, of the drawings, the form of the connection between the hook 9 of the reach bar and the clamping shoe 8 will be well understood. As illustrated in Fig. 2, the clamping shoe 8 comprises an abuttment flange 28 depending below the flat jaw surface 11 which is adapted to engage intimately with the bottom surface of the rail base.

The upper jaw 10 projects upwardly from the flange 28 and is provided with an inclined jaw face 12 co-operating with the jaw face 11 to tightly and rigidly receive the flange 4 of the rail base. A lateral extension 13 of the jaw 10 and flange 28 is provided with an enlarged end 29.- The enlarged end 29 and the portion 30 of the shoe provide shoulders 31 and 32, respectively, between which the hook-9 of the reach bar, Fig. 1, may be received. The rear surface 13, as illustrated in Fig. 2, is parti-cylindrical in form, conforming with the inner surface of the hook engageable therewith, whereas for the full width of the shoe comprising the width of the re-enforcing jaw portion 10, the enlarged end 29 and the intermediate portions 30 and 13, the groove 33 formed between opposing jaw surfaces 11 and 12 is extended and provide side jaw surfaces 11 and 12 to embrace the rail base. As indicated by the dotted lines at 3 1, the hook 9 is joined to the intermediate portion 25 of the reach bar which extends from the hook 9 below the rounded intermediate portion 13 of the shoe and below the jaw 11, as shown in Fig. 3.

The dotted lines in Fig. 2 indicate the form of the jaws for their full width. The portion 13 of the shoe is made rounded. so as to form a good tight fitting bearing for the hook 9 of the reach bar which may then rotate verticall about this hearing, as when placing the anc or on the rail.

The modus operandi of the anchor will now be understood. The tie abutting flange 28 of the clamping shoe 8 engages by its outer lateral surface with the lateral-surface of a tie and longitudinal movement of the rail will effect a thrust pressure effort against the tie by the surface of the flange 28 disposed below the rail.

The hooked end 9 of the reach bar carrying the clamp, will by virtue of this pressure, he slewed slightly around the other end 15, to effect a wedging gripping of the rail base between the opposite jaws on the two ends of the reach bar, comprising at one end the jaws formed by the up )er surface of the reach bar 7, and the end surface 18 of the resilient loop leg 17, and at the other end the jaws 1011 of the clampin shoe 8.

Due to the power of the istorted resilientloop 15, 16,17, the anchor is held to the rail base flange, while the slewing accomplishes an effective gripping of the rail base by its lateral flange edges.

The'resilient retaining loops is of a most eflicient form for the purpose, and .is not loosed from the rail by the slewing of the anchor in use.

Referring now to Fig. 4, a-somewhat simpler form of clamping shoe is shown therein having jaws 10 and 11' with jaw surfaces formed like that of the foregoing embodiment by having the laterally extending portion 13' of the same cross-sectional area and form, no enlarged end, such as that shown at 29 in Fig. 2, being provided, this form otherwise being like that of the foregoing -35 and 36 extend, being integrally joined to the sides by arms 37 and 38, respectively, and having parallel arms 39 and 40, re-

spectively, integrally 'oined throughout their entire length with t e tie abutting flange 28. .In this way rectangular apertures 41 and 42 are provided through which the reach bar 7 may be projected and preferably will be projected therethrough before forming of the one or the other deflected ends of the bar so that in such a case, the shoe will be non-removably secured to the bar which will fit snugl in such a'case within the apertures 41 an 42. Either end of the bar may be preformed, leaving the other end straight for insertion through the apertures, the straight end being then subsequently formed to the desired shape by giving it the form of the hook 9 or the form of the inverted loop 15, 16, 17, as

the case ma be. A pair of laterally disposed j stiffening anges 42 and 43 are provided on either side of the accurately formed outer surface of the shoe portion '13. The hook 9- of the reach bar is then forced over the portion 13" of the shoe, so that the shoe and reach bar may then be handled and applied to the rail as a unitary rail anchor.

Fig. 6 possesses features common to the foregoing embodiments and is a clamping shoe having jaws similarly formed as in the foregoing. embodiments, a depending rail tie abutting flange 28", as in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, laterally dis osed flanges 42 and 43 for the reach bar ook, as in Fig. 5, and in addition the'top and bottom surfaces'of the jaws 10 and 11 are mediall shown at 44 and 45 to snug y receive the reach bar forced into tight embracing engagementtherewith to prevent'relative lateral displacement of the bar and shoe as do the shoulders 29 and 30 on either side of the ortion 13 of Fig. 2, and as is accomplished in Fig. 5 by the parallel arms 3738 and 3940.

Fig. 7 illustrates a simple formof shoewhich may be made of sheet steel and comprises a single sheet of metal having a depending flange 28 for engagement with a railway tie and a rail flange embracing arouate extension 10, the intermediate portion 11 adapted to engage with the under side of the rail flange. The shoe of Fig. 7 is ada ted to be employed in the same manner as t e shoe of Fig. 6 in combination with a reach bar of the same form as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3, the hooked end of which would be suitably formed to enfold the portion 10 of the shoe.

Fig. 8 illustrates a shoe for the reach bar as previously described, indicated in F g. 8

at 7", which is like that illustrated in Fig. 7

grooved as except that from the depending flange 28,

which corresponds to the flange 28 of Fig. 7, an extension 46 extendsupwardly to engage the inner surface of a downturned lip 47 of the jaw portion 11 The reach bar 7 extends through the passage 48 provided by the three walls 11, 28, and 46 of the shoe and is prevented from lateral movement relative to the shoe by the engagement of corners of. I the reach bar 7 with the inner walls of the .but wherein the'reach bar 7 terminates at its hooked end in a hook 9 of such a size and having a tongue 90 disposed at such an angle as to directly engage by jaw portions 91 and 92, the top and bottom surfaces of the rail base flange 3 adjacent its vertical edge 6', with which the laterally adjacent portion 94 of the hook is engageable. The edges of the flange 3 engage the hook 94 adjacent the curved portion. The anchor of Fig. 9 terminates at its other end in "an upstanding laterally extending inverted loop like that of the loop 15 of Fig. 1 and'having its free end inwardly deflected for resilient ressure engagement with the upper corner 0 the rail base edge in amanner like that of the first embodiment, previously described herein. This anchor is secured to the rail base in the same manner as thatillust-rated in Fi 1 as before described, and prevented from l a movement by-engagement of the lateral surface of the reach bar 7 engaging with a rail way tie with which it is placed in abutting relation. a

This form of anchor is illustrated as being Within the purview of my invention broadly considered, although I prefer forms having greater tie engaging surfaces disposed relatively lower than the tie-engaging surfaces of the embodiment of. Fig. 9.

Having thus described my invention in a number of embodiments, I am aware that numerous and extensive departures may be made from the embodiments-herein illustrated and described but without departing retaining shoulder adapted forengagement with the lateral edge of a rail base flange, a jaw element adapted to be fixed tothe opposite rail base flange and interposed between said opposite rail ase flange and said hooked portion of said bar, said shoe having a portion extending below the rail base, and between said rail base and said intermediate bar portion, and a, portion pendant therefrom and. engageable with a relatively fixed abutment for the railway, said' pendant portion 3 teral loo 'bar as a unit therewith.

2. In a rail anchor, a reach bar having an intermediate portion adapted to underlie a rail base and terminating at one'end in a reversely turnedupstanding hook and at its other end in an upstanding laterally extending inverted loop, said hook adapted to encompass a rail base flange, the pendant end of the loop being normally inwardly deflected, said loop adapted for a lifting distortional movement-to effect engagement by the free end of the pendant arm with an upper surface portion of the associated rail base flange.

3. In a rail anchor, a reach bar having an intermediate portion adapted to underlie a rail base and terminating at one end in a reversely turned upstanding hook and at its 1 other end in an upstanding laterally extending inverted loop, said hook adapted to'encompass a rail base flange, the pendant end of the loop being normally inwardly deflected, said loop adapted for a lifting distortional movement to effect engagement by the free end of the pendant arm with an upper surface portion of the associated rail base flange, and a shoe gripped between inwardly disposed surfaces of said hook and the associated base flange having a pendant tie engaging portion projecting exteriorly of the hook.

4. In a rail anchor, a reach bar having an intermediate portion adapted to underlie a rail base and terminating at one end in a reversely turned upstanding hook and at its other end in an upstanding laterally extending inverted loop, said hook adapted to encompass a rail base flange, the pendant end of the loop being normally inwardly deflected, said loop ada ted for a lifting distortional movement to e ect engagement by the free end of the pendant arm with an upper surface portion of the associated rail base flange, and a shoe gripped between inwardly disposed surfaces of said hook and the associated base flange having a pendant tie engaging portion projecting exteriorly of the hook, said shoe being grooved exteriorly to receive the hoo red end of the bar, the grooved portion providing shoulders engageable with lateral surfaces of the bar to restrain the shoe and bar from relative lateral movements.

5. In a rail anchor, a reach bar having an intermediate portion adapted to underlie a rail base and terminating at one end in a reversely turned upstanding hook and at its other end in an upstanding laterally extending inverted loop, said hookadapted to encompass a rail base flange, the pendant end of the loo being normally inwardly deflected, sai loop adapted for a lifting distortional movement to 'efiect engagement by the free end of the pendant arm with an upper surface portion of the associated rail base flange, and a shoe gripped between inwardly gripping jaws, said jaws being of substantial- 70 1y greater Width than the width of said hook. In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature this 24th day of October, 1928.

ALBERT F. FIFIELD. 

